Swing.



G. A. NETCOTT SWING.

7 APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1916- Patented June 5, 1917.

m m 8 m ,1 e w 4 5 0 7 1 e au 1 2 G 5 6,7 6 1 Wm 22 2 w 3 W 4 1 w 4 a n;5 0 L 1 a 00, w 6 7 1 2 2 GEORGE A. NETGOTT, 0F INDEPENDENCE, IOWA.

SWING.

Application filed March 18, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. NETCOTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Independence, in the county of Buchanan and State of Iowa,have invented a new and useful Swing, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has reference to an improvement in swings, and has for anobject to provide a swing with propelling means operable by the hands orfeet or both, of the occupant of the swing, and which may be readilyattached to a ceiling, a frame work, or any suitable support, to whichthe swing is secured.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a device ofthis nature, which is comparatively simple, and wherein the propellingdevices are actuated directly, so as to reduce friction, the number ofparts, and the consequent weight and size of the swing.

A further feature of the invention is to provide an anti-frictionconnection between the supporting cables or members of the swing and thepropelling rope, which connection is adjustable upon the supportingmembers, so as to accommodate the swing to various conditions, andvarious weights of persons who use the swing.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be fullybrought out in the following specific disclosure of the presentpreferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete swinghaving the propelling means applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, taken through one side ofthe swing, showing the operating handle and the seat in section.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view, enlarged, of one of the pulling straps.

Referring to this drawing, 10 designates a support. Inthe presentinstance this support is shown in the form of a ceiling of a porch, orthe like, but it is, of course, understood that the support may be ofany desired form and may be located in any place where the swing isdesired. The support 10 is provided with a pair of transversely aliningsuspension hooks 11 receiving therein rings 12, to which are suitablysecured, by tying, or the like, the upper endsof pendent Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917.

Serial No. 85,162.

supports 13, shown in the present instance in the form of ropes orcables. These supports 13 may be made in one piece, the upper ends ofthe piece being secured to the rings 12, while the lower looped end ofthe supporting piece engages across the lower face of the seat 14 of theswing. The seat 14 is shown in the present instance as comprising alength of board which is fiat and provided adjacent its opposite endswith openings 15 through which the lower ends of the supports 18 pass.The looped or intermediate portion of the single length of rope orcable, which comprises the supports 13, extends directly across theunder side of the seat, as at 16, between the openings 15, to thussupport the seat.

For the purpose of propelling the swing from the seat 14, the support 10is provided with a second pair of hooks 17, which are spacedlongitudinally from the hooks 11, or in a direction either forwardly orrearwardly from the hooks l1. Propelling ropes 18, of suitable form andmaterial, are secured at their upper ends to the hooks 17. Pullingstraps 19 are mounted upon the supports 13 for engagement with thepropelling ropes 18 intermediate the ends thereof. Each one of thesepulling straps 19 is in the form of a strip of metal returned uponitself to provide a clamping loop 20 at its inner end for engagementabout the adjacent support 13. The strap 19 is provided with a clampingscrew 21 forwardly of the loop 20 to bind the latter upon the support13. The free ends of the strip of metal are offset outwardly from eachother to provide a space or eye 22 closed at its outer end by a pulleyor roller 23, which is mounted on a pin 23 secured transversely throughthe outer end of the strap 19, or in the free ends of the metal strip.The strap 19 is adjustable vertically upon its adjacent rope 13, so asto locate the point of draft on the rope at any desired point below theupper end of the support. Both of the straps 19 are of the same form,and are both adjustable. The ropes 18-are passed obliquely inward towardthe supports 13, and downwardly through the eyes 22 of the straps. Theropes 18 thus bear against the inner sides of the rollers or pulleys 23to reduce frictional contact between the propelling ropes 18 and theouter ends of the pulling straps 19.

Near the lower ends of the supports 13 is a pair of handles 24. Thehandles 24 are in tically. The handles 24 are given any suitableexterior configuration to admit of the easy grasping and holding thereofby the hands ofthe occupant of the swing. Outstanding from one side andat the upper end of each of .the handles 24 is a screw eye 25. Thisscrew eye 25 extends in the direction in which the hooks 17 are offsetfrom the suspension hooks 11. The lower ends of the propelling ropes 18are passed downwardly through the eyes 25 and knottedso as to secure thelower ends of the propelling ropes to the handles. Thus, when thehandlesare drawn down, they tend to straighten the propelling ropes 18 betweenthe handles and the upper hooks 17. This straightening of the propellingropes 18 pulls the straps 19 forwardly, as shown in the presentdrawings, and thus swings the supports 13 forwardly about their hingerings 12. The weight of the occupant on the seat retains the supports 13sufficiently taut to impart the forward movement of the straps 19 to.the lower ends of the supports 13 and the seat 14. Thus by the downwardmovement of the handles 24, the swing is swung in a forward direction.The occupant: of the swing now ceases to draw down upon the handles 24and allows the same to slideupwardly on the supports 13. The handles areraised on the supports 13 by the swinging of the seat 14 back into itslowermost position, and rearwardly thereof. It is thus understood thatthe occupant of the swing may slide the handles down on the supports toraise the swing to any desired extent, and may with but relativelylittle exertion maintain the swing in motion.

If desired, the hand operating means may easily be supplemented byv afoot operating means. With this end in view, the lower ends of thehandles 24 are provided with outstanding screw eyes 26 through whichhooks 27 or the like, are engaged, and which carry the upper ends ofropes 28', which pass downwardly through openings 29 formed in theopposite ends of the seathand prefer- V ably inwardly'of theopenings 15therein. The lower ends of-the ropes 28 extend considerably below theseat '14, and are provided with stirrups 30, or the like, for engagementwith the feet, so that by pressure of the feet on the devices 30, theropes 28 are drawn 7 down to pull thehandles 24 down upon the supports13, and thus'operate upon the propelling ropes 18 in the same manner asis carried out. in operating the swing by. hand. It is readily seen thatthe swing may be veryeasil'y controlled by using both the hand and footdevices, so that the weight of the body may be thrown with comparativeease upon the stirrupsBO to thusdraw down the handles 24. For

the purpose of reducing the friction and providing a direct connectionand pull of the operating parts, the screw eyes 26 are preferablyarranged immediately below the upper screw eyes 25 to thus support theropes 28 immediately below and in alinement with the propelling ropes18. Thus, theropes-18 and 28- form a substantial continuation of eachother and are connected at their adjacent ends by the. handles 24 whichare guided in their vertical movement by the supporting ropes 13. Ingrasping the handles 24, the operator cannot only propel the swing, butalso is enabled to maintain himself upon.the seat 14. The stirrups 30also assist in retaining the occupant upon the seat. The straps 19 arerelatively short and project outwardly immediately'over the screw eyes25. and 26, and the upper hooks 17 lie in the same longitudinal verticalplane in which the suspension hooks 11, straps 19, handles 24, andstirrups 30 are located. By this peculiar arrangement, the propellingropes draw the swing directly forward and the force is exerted in adirect line, so that no undue friction is had, or unnecessary forceexpended in the operation of the swing. It is, of course, understoodthat the propelling straps 19 may be raised or lowered on the supportingropes 13 in order to change the points of? draft on'the supports, as maybe found desirable in the use of the swing by children of light weight,or grown people who are relatively heavy. 7

The foot ropes 28 pass'in a straight line from thescrew eyes 26 throughthe openings 29 in the ends of the seat, and pass behind pulleys 31,which are arranged at the forward sides and at the lower ends of theopenings 29 to prevent the binding of the-foot ropes 28 in the seat 14,when the stirrups 30 are projected forwardly to bend the foot ropes 28inwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. These pulleys 31 arecarried in-blocks or attaching plates32, secured by-screws, or the like,against the un der side of the seat and at each end thereof.

What is claimed is z- 1=. Ina swing, apair of supporting ropes, aseatsecured'to the lower ends of said supporting ropes, a pair ofpropelling ropes, short straps adjustably secured upon said supportingropes and having eyes'to receive.

downwardly therethrough said propelling ropes, a pair of handlesslidable on the supporting ropes above theseat and having.

upon the lower ends of said foot'jropes to reaelvfei the feet of the:occupant so that the saidpropelling ropes downwardly through the" seat,and stirrups downward pressure of the feet draws said propelling ropestaut and urges the swing in a forward direction.

2. A swing comprising a pair of suspension hooks, supporting ropessecured to and depending from said hooks, a seat secured to said ropes,a second pair of hooks spaced inwardly from said first hooks, a pair ofpropelling ropes secured to said hooks, a pair of handles slidablymounted upon said supporting ropes and having connection with the lowerends of said propelling ropes, foot ropes secured to said handles andpassing downwardly through said seat, stirrups on the lower ends of thefoot ropes, pulleys carried upon the opposite ends of the seat againstthe forward sides of said foot ropes to take up frictional contact ofthe ropes with the seat when the stirrups are drawn forwardly, a stripof metal bent upon itself and engaging at its looped end around thesupporting rope below said suspension hooks, clamping screws engagingthrough the sides of the strips to bind the looped ends about thesupporting rope, and pulleys secured across the outer ends of the stripsto provide eyes therein, said strips being relatively short and adaptedto receive the intermediate portions of the propelling ropes through theeyes thereof whereby upon the downward movement of said handles and saidstirrups, saidpropelling ropes draw said strips and said supporting ropeforwardly to propel the swing.

8. In a swing, a seat, pendant supporting ropes for the same, apropelling rope suspended in front of each of said supporting ropes, avertically slidable handle on each supporting rope above the seat, meansfor fixedly mounting a pulley on and in spaced relation to eachsupporting rope above the handle, said pulley having the propelling ropepassed around the same and being spaced from the supporting rope adistance less than the spacing of the upper ends of each propelling ropefrom the upper ends of each supporting rope, said handles havingconnection with the lower ends of the pro pelling ropes, ropes connectedto and leading downwardly from the handles through guides provided inthe seat, and foot propelled means connected to the lower ends of thelast mentioned ropes.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedby signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE A. NETCOTT.

Witnesses:

JOHN JOOHUMSEN, EVA DAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

